Unidirectional and bidirectional communication between a host device and a peripheral device

Abstract

A dock connects to a user's host device and provides video output to a display. The host device is a computing device that executes one or more applications. One or more controllers are peripheral devices that can be used to control applications on the host device. A service module provides support for additional communication profiles that are more versatile than the communication profiles supported by the operating system on the host device. The service module establishes a unidirectional connection between the host device and the peripheral devices as well as a bidirectional connection. A control scheme identifying an operating mode associated with a peripheral device is retrieved from a server. The peripheral device is configured to send data to the host device in a format recognizable by one or more applications based on the operating scheme.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of communication between a host device and a peripheral device, the method comprising:
 establishing a first connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the first connection allowing unidirectional transfer of data from the peripheral device to the host device; 
 establishing a second connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the second connection allowing bidirectional transfer of data between the peripheral device and the host device; 
 receiving data from the peripheral device over the first connection; 
 sending data to the peripheral device over the second connection; and 
 receiving over the first connection, a request to launch an enhanced application, the enhanced application configured to receive input data from the peripheral device and further configured to send output data to the peripheral device. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising responsive to receiving the request to launch the enhanced application, establishing the second connection between the host device and the peripheral device. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first connection is configured to follow a Human Interface Device (HID) protocol. 
     
     
       4. A method of communication between a host device and a peripheral device, comprising:
 establishing a first connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the first connection allowing unidirectional transfer of data from the peripheral device to the host device; 
 establishing a second connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the second connection allowing bidirectional transfer of data between the peripheral device and the host device; 
 receiving data from the peripheral device over the first connection; 
 sending data to the peripheral device over the second connection; and 
 sending, to the peripheral device over the second connection, a command for causing the peripheral device to mute the first connection, the muting causing the peripheral device to stop sending data over the unidirectional connection. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first connection is configured to follow a Human Interface Device (HID) protocol. 
     
     
       6. A method of communication between a host device and a peripheral device, comprising:
 establishing a first connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the first connection allowing unidirectional transfer of data from the peripheral device to the host device; 
 establishing a second connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the second connection allowing bidirectional transfer of data between the peripheral device and the host device; 
 receiving data from the peripheral device over the first connection; 
 sending data to the peripheral device over the second connection; and 
 receiving, over the second connection, a request to launch a standard application, the standard application configured to receive input data from the peripheral device. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  further comprising responsive to receiving the request to launch the standard application, sending, to the peripheral device over the second connection, a command for causing the peripheral device to unmute the first connection. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first connection is configured to follow a Human Interface Device (HID) protocol. 
     
     
       9. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of a host device and comprising computer-readable instructions for execution by a processor of the host device, the instructions when executed by the processor causing the host device to:
 establish a first connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the first connection allowing unidirectional transfer of data from the peripheral device to the host device; 
 establish a second connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the second connection allowing bidirectional transfer of data between the peripheral device and the host device; 
 receive data from the peripheral device over the first connection; 
 send data to the peripheral device over the second connection; and 
 receive over the first connection, a request to launch an enhanced application, the enhanced application configured to receive input data from the peripheral device and further configured to send output data to the peripheral device. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer program product of  claim 9  further comprising instructions for responsive to receiving the request to launch the enhanced application, establishing the second connection between the host device and the peripheral device. 
     
     
       11. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of a host device and comprising computer-readable instructions for execution by a processor of the host device, the instructions when executed by the processor causing the host device to:
 establish a first connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the first connection allowing unidirectional transfer of data from the peripheral device to the host device; 
 establish a second connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the second connection allowing bidirectional transfer of data between the peripheral device and the host device; 
 receive data from the peripheral device over the first connection; 
 send data to the peripheral device over the second connection; and 
 send, to the peripheral device over the second connection, a command for causing the peripheral device to mute the first connection, the muting causing the peripheral device to stop sending data over the unidirectional connection. 
 
     
     
       12. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of a host device and comprising computer-readable instructions for execution by a processor of the host device, the instructions when executed by the processor causing the host device to:
 establish a first connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the first connection allowing unidirectional transfer of data from the peripheral device to the host device; 
 establish a second connection between the host device and the peripheral device, the second connection allowing bidirectional transfer of data between the peripheral device and the host device; 
 receive data from the peripheral device over the first connection; 
 send data to the peripheral device over the second connection; and 
 receive, over the second connection, a request to launch a standard application, the standard application configured to receive input data from the peripheral device. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer program product of  claim 12  further comprising instructions for responsive to receiving the request to launch the standard application, sending, to the peripheral device over the second connection, a command for causing the peripheral device to unmute the first connection.